Dorworth gets in on the the lawmaking-to-lobbying two-step

Rep. Chris Dorworth, R-Lake Mary, has landed at a lobbying firm after
being ousted from office in one of the biggest upsets in Florida’s Nov. 6 Election.

Dorworth will join powerful
lobbying firm Ballard Partners, leading its new Orlando office.

Dorworth, who was scheduled to
become House Speaker in 2014, lost his race to a political newcomer, Mike Clelland, by a couple hundred votes.

The one-time Speaker-to-be proved
to be one of the most prolific fundraisers—collecting money from a broad slate
of special interests and outspending his opponent more than 7-to-1.

Now, Dorworth will join a firm that
represents many of the same interests that poured money into his political
coffers.

Ballard Partners is one of the most
successful lobbying firms in the state, taking in more than $3 million in
lobbying fees this year from a broad slate of interests that court state lawmakers.

“Having the opportunity to join Florida’s leading public
affairs firm is an incredible beginning to the next chapter in my career,” said
Dorworth. “I look forward to contributing to the already exceptional team at
Ballard Partners and building a strong, first class public affairs presence in Central Florida.”

State law prohibits Dorworth from lobbying the
state Legislature for at least two years.

Dorworth joins outgoing House Speaker Dean
Cannon among recent House leaders that have jumped from lawmaking to lobbying.

TALLAHASSEE –Florida’s leading government affairs firm, Ballard
Partners, today announced the opening of their sixth office location in the
state. Former State
Rep. Chris Dorworth will be managing the Orlando-based office where he will
lead and expand Ballard Partners’ lobbying efforts in the Central
Florida area.

“We’re thrilled to have Rep. Dorworth
join our team and spearhead the opening of our new office in Orlando,” said Brian Ballard, president of
Ballard Partners. “Chris’ leadership and knowledge of the issues facing Florida and the Orlando
area will be an enormous asset to our firm and our clients.”

“Having the opportunity to join Florida’s leading public
affairs firm is an incredible beginning to the next chapter in my career,”
stated Dorworth. “I look forward to contributing to the already exceptional
team at Ballard Partners and building a strong, first class public affairs
presence in Central Florida.”

Dorworth, from Lake Mary, served three
terms in the Florida
House of Representatives (HD-34). He was elected Chairman of the Central
Florida Legislative Delegation, which is comprised of all representatives and
senators from Orange, Volusia, Seminole,
Osceola, Brevard, Lake and Polk
Counties. Having served
in many leadership roles, Dorworth was Chairman of the Rulemaking and
Regulation Subcommittee, Co-Chairman of the House Reapportionment Committee and
Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee for the 2010-2012 term.

During his years in the Florida
Legislature, Dorworth worked to pass hallmark legislation revamping the state’s
regulatory and rulemaking system, and helped overturned a Governor’s veto to
see the bill (HB 1565) become law in November 2010. He chaired the first
Rulemaking and Regulation Subcommittee to oversee the implementation of HB1565.
Dorworth led the effort to pass the constitutional amendment and implementing
legislation for what became Amendment 4 on the 2012 ballot. He also spearheaded
several pieces of landmark legislation to prevent childhood sexual violence,
including the repeal of statute of limitations on child molesters and the
creation of the nation’s strongest mandatory reporting law.

In addition to his legislative
experience, Dorworth has an extensive private-sector background as a developer
for the Madison Christopher Holding Company in Central
Florida. An active community and state leader, he has served on
the board of Enterprise Florida, as Chairman of the Seminole Community College
District Board of Trustees, as Chairman of the Seminole Soil & Water
Conservation District, and as Vice-Chairman of the Seminole County Planning and
Zoning Commission. Dorworth has a Master of Business Administration from Duke University
and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Florida.

The team at Ballard Partners has been
cited by national and Florida
publications as the leading public affairs firm in the state. The Florida-based
lobbying firm, with offices in Tallahassee, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach,
Tampa, Miami and
now Orlando,
combines extensive government experience with unwavering advocacy to maximize
clients’ results.